Craig Breslow
Craig Andrew Breslow (born August 8, 1980) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He throws left-handed, and is the primary set-up man of the Red Sox. As a senior at Yale University, where he majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, he led the Ivy League with a 2.56 ERA. He was drafted in the 26th round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002, and debuted in the Major Leagues with the San Diego Padres in 2005. Through 2013, he held major league batters to a .217 batting average with runners in scoring position (and .204 with two outs and runners in scoring position). While he was long considered a lefty specialist, he has been successful against right-handed hitters as well. Through 2013, lefties hit only .230 against him (while righties hit .222), with a .354 slugging percentage (.331 for righties). He was second in the American League in appearances by a pitcher in both 2009 (77 games) and 2010 (75 games). Breslow was given the nickname "smartest man in baseball" by Minneapolis Star Tribune Twins beat writer La Velle E. Neal III, and Wall Street Journal reporter Jason Turbow wrote: "Judging by his résumé, Craig Breslow is the smartest man in baseball, if not the entire world." The Sporting News named him the smartest athlete on their top-20 list, in 2010. Milwaukee Brewers In 2002, Breslow ranked fifth in the Pioneer League with six wins, going 6–2 with a 1.82 ERA (54⅓ IP) in 23 appearances out of the pen for the Rookie-level Ogden Raptors. He struck out 56 in 54⅓ innings, and limited the opposition to a .218 average. In 2003, he averaged 11⅓ strikeouts per nine innings for the Single-A Beloit Snappers, fanning 80 batters in 65 innings. In 2004, Breslow played 79 games in the Brewers system, reaching the Class A California League High Desert Mavericks. The Brewers released Breslow during the 2004 season. He then took the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and scored a 34 (the average score for medical school applicants was 28), and applied to NYU Medical School. But though the medical school accepted him, they would only let him start if he agreed to stop playing baseball. "I wasn't ready to give it up," he said. "I thought I could still get guys out." As of 2013, he was undecided as to whether after his baseball career ends he will attend medical school, or alternatively perhaps become involved in the front office side of baseball. San Diego Padres Signed by the San Diego Padres in 2005 for $1 out of a tryout camp, he excelled, getting $1,500 after making the Double-A Southern League Mobile BayBears, allowing a .212 average in 52 innings over 40 outings while striking out 47 and walking 17 with a 2.75 ERA. He earned his first big league callup on July 23, 2005. He was mistaken for the team batboy during his first day with the Padres. He became the 24th Yalie to play in Major League Baseball and the first to reach the major leagues since Ron Darling. "It wasn't until I was playing baseball in the big leagues that I thought I could play baseball in the big leagues," he said. Breslow then split the rest of the season between San Diego, for whom he had a 2.20 ERA in 14 games, and the Triple-A Pacific Coast League Portland Beavers. The Padres non-tendered Breslow in December 2005. Boston Red Sox He was signed by the Red Sox, as a minor league free agent, to a minor league contract in January 2006. 2006 In 2006, Breslow was named an International League (Triple-A) All-Star while with the Pawtucket Red Sox. In 67 innings of work for the season, he was 7–1 with a 2.69 ERA and struck out an average of 10.3 batters per nine innings. He was selected by his teammates as the PawSox Most Valuable Pitcher. He was promoted to Boston in the second half of the season, making him the fourth Jewish player (in addition to Kevin Youkilis, Gabe Kapler, and Adam Stern) to play for the Red Sox that year. In 12 innings with the Red Sox in 2006, he posted a 3.75 ERA and had 12 strikeouts. Off the field, he helped Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett win a bet against catcher Doug Mirabelli. Breslow calculated how many times a baseball spins when it's thrown 90 miles an hour from the pitcher's mound to home plate. "Josh wanted to know if I could figure out how many times a baseball spins on the way to the plate," Breslow said. "There's a lot of variables, but I put in some figures and came up with answers for a fastball, curve, or slider. It's rather simple once you do it." 2007 Breslow earned a trip to the Triple-A All-Star game in July for the second straight season for the Pawtucket Red Sox. At the end of June, Breslow’s ERA was 1.55. But his final numbers for 2007 were 2–3, 4.06 ERA, 25 walks, 73 strikeouts in 68 innings. He was promoted to Boston on September 1, 2007, but did not make an appearance and was sent back to Pawtucket on September 2 to make room on the team roster for Jon Lester. Breslow was added to the postseason roster, and has a ring from winning the 2007 World Series — without pitching a game in the majors that year. Cleveland Indians On March 23, 2008, Breslow was claimed off outright waivers by the Cleveland Indians and was added to the 40-man roster. Breslow was out of minor league options, so the Indians had to keep him on their big league club out of camp, or expose him to waivers again. Breslow won the final spot on the Indians' Opening Day roster. "He's strong," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "I want to be able to use him two innings. He's done that—if you look at his innings pitched the last couple of years versus appearances." On May 23, after pitching in nine games, Breslow was designated for assignment. Minnesota Twins On May 29, 2008, the Minnesota Twins claimed Breslow off waivers. In 42 games for the Twins Breslow had a 1.63 ERA, and gave up only 24 hits in 38⅔ innings. Lefties hit .183 against him, with a .232 slugging percentage, and in save situations batters batted .100 against him, with a .100 slugging percentage. He did not give up a run in his last 14 appearances. Breslow's aggregate 2008 ERA of 1.91 in 47 innings was ninth-best in the American League of all pitchers with at least 40 innings pitched, and second-best among AL lefty relievers. He held all batters to a .191 batting average, a .265 on-base percentage, and a .299 slugging percentage. 2009 Playing for the Twins in 2009, Breslow held left-handers to a .211 batting average and right-handers to a .226 batting average, but battled control problems in 17 appearances. The Twins figured they had a 50–50 chance of losing Breslow when they placed him on waivers in May 2009 to clear space on their 25-man roster for fellow left-hander Sean Henn. Oakland needed bullpen help and claimed Breslow before his 72-hour waiver period expired. Had he cleared, the Twins could have sent him to Triple-A Rochester. "We were hoping to keep him," said assistant general manager Rob Antony. "We lost a bullpen guy without trying to lose a bullpen guy," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I kind of got shocked when they told me." Oakland Athletics Searching for an experienced left-hander for their bullpen, the Oakland Athletics claimed Breslow off waivers on May 20, 2009. According to assistant general manager David Forst, the A's had tried to acquire him on other occasions. "I'm excited about taking a look at him," A's Manager Bob Geren said. "He's a left-handed guy that's experienced. He's had some success at this level." He was the A's key lefty out of the bullpen for the remainder of the season. He was second in the AL in appearances in 2009, with 77. Batters hit only .143 against him when there were runners in scoring position. He held all batters to a .197 batting average, and a .289 on-base percentage. He also continued to impress teammates with his intellect. "Breslow knows everything," A's left-hander Dallas Braden said. "I seriously want to be Craig Breslow when I grow up." 2010 Asked in 2010 whether there was a story behind his jersey number, Breslow said: "When you spend time with many organizations over 5.5 years, you don't really care what number you get." He was second in the AL in appearances in 2010 for the second year in a row, appearing in 75 games (the fifth-highest single-season total in A's history). Only 7 of 33 inherited runners (21.2%) scored against him, third-best in the AL. He held batters to a .194 batting average, and a .272 on-base percentage. Opposing batters were 0-for-11 with zero RBIs against him with the bases loaded, which were the most bases-loaded at bats against an AL pitcher with zero RBIs since the stat was tracked beginning in 1974. His 71 strikeouts were the most by a lefty reliever in Oakland history, breaking the mark of 69 set by Bob Lacey in 1977. He finished with a career-high 74⅔ innings; fourth among American League relievers. He was named the 2010 Most Valuable Jewish Pitcher by Jewish Major Leaguers, as Ryan Braun won hitter honors. Through 2010, he had in his career allowed only 33 of 151 (21.9%) of inherited runners to score, which was the fourth-best percentage among pitchers with 150 or more inherited runners since the statistic was first tracked in 1974. 2011 In 2011, he was 0–2 with a 3.79 ERA in 67 games in which he pitched 59.1 innings. He led all relief pitchers with 5 pickoffs, and led American League relievers with 7 caught stealing. Arizona Diamondbacks On December 9, 2011, Breslow and Trevor Cahill were traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Ryan Cook, Jarrod Parker, and Collin Cowgill. Since Breslow was the last arbitration-eligible player for Arizona to be under contract, he avoided arbitration and a deal was made at $1.795 million. His salary was a $395,000 increase over the 2011 season. In 40 games, and 43.1 innings, in 2013 for Arizona before being traded, he had a 2–0 record and a 2.70 ERA with 42 strikeouts, and limited opposing batters to a .233 batting average. Boston Red Sox 2012 On July 31, 2012, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Scott Podsednik and relief pitcher Matt Albers. In 23 innings in 2012 for the Red Sox, he struck out 19 and had a 2.70 ERA. He held opponents to a .206 batting average, and opposing lefties to a .184 batting average. For the season, he was 3–0 with a 2.70 ERA in 63 games for Arizona and Boston, and held left-handed hitters to a .222 batting average. 2013 In January 2013, he signed a two-year contract with the Red Sox for at least $6.25 million. He will receive $2.325 million in 2013, and $3.825 million in 2014. The Red Sox have a $4 million option for 2015, with a $100,000 buyout. He began the 2013 season on the disabled list with left shoulder tendinitis. After rehab outings with Double A Portland and Triple A Pawtucket, he was activated on May 7. He emerged as the Red Sox' primary set-up reliever. On September 16, Breslow was named the Red Sox nominee for the 2013 Roberto Clemente Award. In the 2013 regular season, he was 5–2 with a 1.81 ERA (third among left-handed relievers in the American League), in 61 games and 59.2 innings, and held opposing batters to a .228 batting average. His 0.65 ERA the second half of the season was fourth-best among major league relievers with at least 25 innings thrown. In his last 28 appearances of the regular season, he allowed only one run. In the 2013 American League Division Series, he pitched 3.2 scoreless innings over 3 games, notching a win and allowing two hits and one walk while striking out four, as the Red Sox defeated Tampa Bay. In the 2013 American League Championship Series, he added 3.1 scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers, bringing his post-season total to 7 scoreless innings in 7 appearances, in which he held the opposition to a .130 batting average. Breslow wrote a blog during the 2013 post-season. Breslow's World Series performances against the St Louis Cardinals in 2013 were disappointing, throwing over the third baseman's head to lose Game Two and allowing 6 of the 7 base runners he inherited in relief to score. Despite this the Red Sox won the Series, their third in ten years.